Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra, Volume Ten: Explanation of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination (6)

Original text:问。何因缘故。无明等诸有支。作如是次第说。答。诸愚痴者。要先愚于。所应知事。次即于彼。发起邪行。由邪行故。令心颠倒。心颠倒故。结生相续。生相续故。诸根圆满。根圆满故。二受用境。

Explanation: Question: What causes and conditions make the twelve links of dependent origination—beginning with ignorance—be expounded in such an order, taught according to such a sequence? Answer: All foolish and deluded people are first ignorant and do not understand the things they should know; next, with regard to those things they do not understand, they initiate evil and unwholesome actions. Because of committing such unwholesome actions, the mind becomes inverted. Because the mind is inverted, the bonds of afflictions cause life to continue without interruption. Because life continues without interruption, the six faculties become complete and fully endowed. Because the six faculties are complete, there are the two kinds of enjoyment of objects: the retributive enjoyment of the five-aggregate body and the dependent enjoyment of the living environment.

Original text:受用境故。若耽着若希求。由希求故。于方觅时。烦恼滋长。烦恼滋长故。发起后有。爱非爱业。由所起业。滋长力故。于五趣生死中。苦果生。苦果生已。有老死等苦。谓内身变异。所引老死苦。及境界变异。所引忧叹苦。热恼之苦。是故。世尊如是次第。说十二支。

Explanation: Because of enjoying objects and realms, one becomes immersed in the enjoyment of those objects and unable to extricate oneself, or else gives rise to further craving and longing. Because of such craving, in the process of searching everywhere for what one seeks, afflictions grow and flourish. Because afflictions grow and flourish, karmic actions of the future existence within the three realms—both lovable and unlovable—arise. Because of the growing force of the karmic actions that have been created, painful retributions arise within the birth-and-death of the five destinies. Once the painful retribution has arisen, there are the sufferings of old age, death, and so forth. These sufferings are the suffering of old age and death induced by the changes of the internal body, as well as the suffering of sorrow and lamentation and the suffering of feverish distress induced by the changes of external objects and realms. Therefore, the World-Honored One expounded the twelve links in such a sequence.

Original text:复有次第差别。谓依二种缘。建立缘起次第。一内身缘。二受用境界缘。内身缘。前六支所摄。受用境界缘。后六支所摄。先于内身。起我执等愚。由此不了。诸业所引。苦果异熟故。发起诸业。

Explanation: There are also other differences in sequence, namely that the sequence of dependent origination is established on the basis of two kinds of conditions: one is the condition of the internal body, and the other is the condition of the enjoyment of objects and realms. The condition of the internal body is encompassed by the first six links; the condition of the enjoyment of objects and realms is encompassed by the last six links. The condition of the internal body is encompassed by the first six links of ignorance, volitional formations, consciousness, name-and-form, the six sense bases, and contact; the condition of the enjoyment of objects and realms is encompassed by the last six links of feeling, craving, grasping, existence, birth, and old age and death. Sentient beings first give rise to foolishness such as the grasping of self with regard to the internal body. Because of such foolishness, not understanding that all the karmic actions created by the five-aggregate body can lead to painful retributive results (vipāka-hetu-phala), they initiate all karmic actions.

Here it is said that the first six links encompass the internal five-aggregate body: because of ignorance, karmic actions are created and name-and-form arises; upon name-and-form, the six sense bases emerge; once there are the six sense bases, there are the last six links. The last six links are all the objects and realms enjoyed by the five-aggregate body, and they are also the consequences of the contact of the six sense bases. Therefore, the twelve links of dependent origination are established on the basis of the internal body and the enjoyment of objects.

Original text:既发起已。即随彼业。多起寻思。由业与识。为助伴故。能感当来。三种苦果。谓根初起。所摄苦果。根圆满所摄苦果。受用境界。所摄苦果。即名色为先。触为最后。

Explanation: After the karmic actions have been initiated, one repeatedly gives rise to deliberation (manasikāra) and seeking in accordance with those karmic actions. Because the karmic actions serve as aids in conjunction with consciousness, they can bring about three kinds of painful retributions in the future: first, the painful retribution encompassed by the initial arising of the five faculties in the mother's womb; second, the painful retribution experienced after the five faculties are complete and one is born; third, the painful retribution experienced while enjoying objects and realms. The condition for the appearance of these three kinds of painful retribution is that name-and-form comes first, and contact comes last; only then can the painful retributions appear.